OT and ADHD

When people think about clients that occupational therapy (OT), their minds may go to people with autism, people that have suffered strokes, or people who have had surgery. Many people overlook the importance of occupational therapy with children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). I listened to a podcast by Jennie Friedman, a coach for dealing with ADHD, with Dr. Lancaster as her guest about the impact of OT on those with ADHD. In the podcast, Friedman admits that she was once unaware of how significant OT intervention can be with this population!

Dr. Lancaster talked about a specific client of hers that received OT intervention to best manage her ADHD symptoms. The client was a kindergartener that often got ridiculed for her inability to sit still. Her teacher often took the girl's constant self-stimulating activities as the girl purposely acting out. Once referred to an OT evaluation, the client was put on a "sensory diet". Previous to listening to this podcast, I had never heard about a sensory diet and could not imagine what exactly this term meant. A sensory diet is a schedule of time (usually a few minutes) that a child is able to move, exercise, or stimulate their sensory needs in a  meaningful way. This sensory diet aides in a child's ability to control impulses to self-stimulate and contributes to better concentration in class. I chose this podcast because I have not seen an OT work with a child with ADHD and wanted to learn more about how intervention can help this population. I am very interested in learning more about this area of OT and have even considered purchasing the book Dr. Lancaster mentions as the "sensory bible for OTs".

Friedman, J. (Producer). (2016, November 16). Can occupational therapy help with ADHD [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from http://www.seeinadhd.com/occupational-therapy-help/